three men on the bummel(三个闲逛的人)-第7章
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His idea； I fancy； was to get away before Mrs。 H。 thought of other
things。 We fixed the following Wednesday。
〃What about route？〃 said Harris。
〃I have an idea；〃 said George。 〃I take it you fellows are naturally
anxious to improve your minds？〃
I said； 〃We don't want to become monstrosities。 To a reasonable
degree； yes； if it can be done without much expense and with little
personal trouble。〃
〃It can；〃 said George。 〃We know Holland and the Rhine。 Very well；
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my suggestion is that we take the boat to Hamburg； see Berlin and
Dresden； and work our way to the Schwarzwald； through Nuremberg and
Stuttgart。〃
〃There are some pretty bits in Mesopotamia； so I've been told；〃
murmured Harris。
George said Mesopotamia was too much out of our way； but that the
Berlin…Dresden route was quite practicable。 For good or evil； he
persuaded us into it。
〃The machines； I suppose；〃 said George； 〃as before。 Harris and I on
the tandem； J。〃
〃I think not；〃 interrupted Harris； firmly。 〃You and J。 on the tandem； I
on the single。〃
〃All the same to me；〃 agreed George。 〃J。 and I on the tandem；
Harris〃
〃I do not mind taking my turn；〃 I interrupted； 〃but I am not going to
carry George ALL the way； the burden should be divided。〃
〃Very well；〃 agreed Harris； 〃we'll divide it。 But it must be on the
distinct understanding that he works。〃
〃That he what？〃 said George。
〃That he works；〃 repeated Harris； firmly； 〃at all events； uphill。〃
〃Great Scott！〃 said George； 〃don't you want ANY exercise？〃
There is always unpleasantness about this tandem。 It is the theory of
the man in front that the man behind does nothing； it is equally the theory
of the man behind that he alone is the motive power； the man in front
merely doing the puffing。 The mystery will never be solved。 It is
annoying when Prudence is whispering to you on the one side not to
overdo your strength and bring on heart disease； while Justice into the
other ear is remarking； 〃Why should you do it all？ This isn't a cab。
He's not your passenger：〃 to hear him grunt out：
〃What's the matterlost your pedals？〃
Harris； in his early married days； made much trouble for himself on
one occasion； owing to this impossibility of knowing what the person
behind is doing。 He was riding with his wife through Holland。 The
roads were stony； and the machine jumped a good deal。
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〃Sit tight；〃 said Harris； without turning his head。
What Mrs。 Harris thought he said was； 〃Jump off。〃 Why she should
have thought he said 〃Jump off；〃 when he said 〃Sit tight；〃 neither of them
can explain。
Mrs。 Harris puts it in this way； 〃If you had said； 'Sit tight；' why should
I have jumped off？〃
Harris puts it； 〃If I had wanted you to jump off； why should I have said
'Sit tight！'？〃
The bitterness is past； but they argue about the matter to this day。
Be the explanation what it may； however； nothing alters the fact that
Mrs。 Harris did jump off； while Harris pedalled away hard； under the
impression she was still behind him。 It appears that at first she thought
he was riding up the hill merely to show off。 They were both young in
those days； and he used to do that sort of thing。 She expected him to
spring to earth on reaching the summit； and lean in a careless and graceful
attitude against the machine； waiting for her。 When； on the contrary； she
saw him pass the summit and proceed rapidly down a long and steep
incline； she was seized； first with surprise； secondly with indignation； and
lastly with alarm。 She ran to the top of the hill and shouted； but he never
turned his head。 She watched him disappear into a wood a mile and a
half distant； and then sat down and cried。 They had had a slight
difference that morning； and she wondered if he had taken it seriously and
intended desertion。 She had no money； she knew no Dutch。 People
passed； and seemed sorry for her； she tried to make them understand what
had happened。 They gathered that she had lost something； but could not
grasp what。 They took her to the nearest village； and found a policeman
for her。 He concluded from her pantomime that some man had stolen her
bicycle。 They put the telegraph into operation； and discovered in a
village four miles off an unfortunate boy riding a lady's machine of an
obsolete pattern。 They brought him to her in a cart； but as she did not
appear to want either him or his bicycle they let him go again； and
resigned themselves to bewilderment。
Meanwhile； Harris continued his ride with much enjoyment。 It
seemed to him that he had suddenly become a stronger； and in every way a
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more capable cyclist。 Said he to what he thought was Mrs。 Harris：
〃I haven't felt this machine so light for months。 It's this air； I think；
it's doing me good。〃
Then he told her not to be afraid； and he would show her how fast he
COULD go。 He bent down over the handles； and put his heart into his
work。 The bicycle bounded over the road like a thing of life； farmhouses
and churches； dogs and chickens came to him and passed。 Old folks stood
and gazed at him； the children cheered him。
In this way he sped merrily onward for about five miles。 Then； as he
explains it； the feeling began to grow upon him that something was wrong。
He was not surprised at the silence； the wind was blowing strongly； and
the machine was rattling a good deal。 It was a sense of void that came
upon him。 He stretched out his hand behind him； and felt； there was
nothing there but space。 He jumped； or rather fell off； and looked back
up the road； it stretched white and straight through the dark wood； and not
a living soul could be seen upon it。 He remounted； and rode back up the
hill。 In ten minutes he came to where the road broke into four； there he
dismounted and tried to remember which fork he had come down。
While he was deliberating a man passed； sitting sideways on a horse。
Harris stopped him； and explained to him that he had lost his wife。 The
man appeared to be neither surprised nor sorry for him。 While they were
talking another farmer came along； to whom the first man explained the
matter； not as an accident； but as a good story。 What appeared to surprise
the second man most was that Harris should be making a fuss about the
thing。 He could get no sense out of either of them； and cursing them he
mounted his machine again； and took the middle road on chance。 Half…
way up； he came upon a party of two young women with one young man
between th
